How to Make August Awesome

So July flew by. And not in a good way, either.

A lot of stuff went down that I wasn't expecting, I didn't get to Texas like I was hoping, and I barely touched my statistics homework (but can you blame me when it's a self-led class that I have until March to finish?!) This past week went by even faster, and I spent more time stressing about getting stuff done than actually getting stuff done.

Money, school, life, my somehow overloaded schedule: all of these things have been weighing on my mind and the first day of August left me feeling pretty down this morning. August and February are my least favorite months. But after reading the Fitnessista's post today regarding 10 Ways to Make August Awesome, I'm ready to turn my frown upside down. I'm totally borrowing her ideas and filling in my own blanks.

1. Have something to look forward to. School starts August 22! I have been so worried about it because I would rather sit in a classroom and listen to a lecture approximately 10 bajillion times more than I want to teach myself graduate level pathophysiology in front of the computer. But online degrees are less expensive, and you can't get closer than KU Med for the ease of going in to the offices if I need to talk about something. I am so ready to get started and just know how school is going to be. I have a great fear of the unknown and I'm definitely working myself up with anxious imaginings right now.

2. Create a goal for the month. Mine is to go to yoga 3x/week. Mostly in the form of 90-minute hot yoga sessions. Counterproductive during the dog days of summer? Maybe, but the stress-relief and heart-pumping workout benefits far outweigh that fact. Especially since running is a no-go this month as I start physical therapy for my IT band. And keeping a workout routine once school starts will help me with time-management and stress relief when I'm in the thick of things.

3. Plan a dinner party or fun event. This is harder for me, since we don't really have a house/yard to entertain in, but maybe we can plan something with some new friends once we start our couples small group on August 11.

4. Go through your summer clothes and decide what you didn't wear this year and need to get rid of. I'm a total sentimental packrat and I've been needing to do this for a while. With clothes, and with the two boxes that we still haven't unpacked from our move last October (clearly, I haven't missed anything hiding in there). I plan to do a major purge around here so there's less clutter to distract me from studying.

5. Go for a swim! I really loved my 5 swim pass at the local pool last month. Swimming laps is amazingly freeing and relaxing. But it was way too expensive so I need to get my butt to the apartment pool one morning while it's semi-cool. Even though it's way too tiny to do laps, I can still soak in the warmth and sun while it's still around.

6. Pick up a new cookbook to try this month. Done. Hello, Peas and Thank You-- The only cookbook that has ever made me laugh and that I enjoyed enough to read before bed the first night I got it last week. I'm also looking forward to utilizing my current copies of Local Flavors and Clean Start to utilize in-season produce. I'm hoping to just go to the grocery store twice this month and get everything else from the farmer's market!

7. Sign up for a fitness event with a friend. Just did a 5k with my cousin-friend Becky this weekend! But I'm also looking at a 5k for Ross and I to run later this fall. And maybe the Gobbler Grind half marathon again if my knee improves quickly? But don't hold me to that-- it's just a pipe dream right now. I would also LOVE to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February with Becky, but I can't event think about that until I get into the swing of school and know if I can afford to miss a weekend of the spring semester by traveling (or if we will be able to afford the cost of doing so).

8. Scope out some new jeans for fall. I'm the pickiest jeans person ever and I tend to buy one pair every two years. So this isn't high on my priority list. Instead, I'm going to roll with plan a vacation with your significant other. Ross and I are in desperate need and we haven't been on a true vacation for 2 years! Maybe a quick jaunt somewhere over fall break is in the cards.

9. Go out for girls night. Girls nights involving Harry Potter (seriously, worse dedicated fan right here) or visiting beloved NICU grads would be much appreciated. You know who you are.

10. Eat a pizookie. I eat cookies on a weekly basis, so I'm going to go with my current craving instead. Eat a local, ripe peach!

11. I'm going add an 11th one here, but I might start a 13-Week Dave Ramsey course soon. Not sure how we're going to handle money with 2 of us in school this year.



What are your August plans?! What's your favorite month? Mine are June and October for sure. And December, despite the weather, because it usually involves good family time around the holidays.